Rural Gone Urban: The Blog

Today is the day I promised I would announce the first Rural Gone Urban giveaway winner {and make a life-changing announcement}.
I'm literally high on life today. I'm at the Ag Chat Foundation Conference 2.0 in Nashville. [also known as NashVegas]. Surrounded by nerds, a plethora of macbooks, ipads, smartphones, dumbphones and a crowd of marketers who understand the importance and significance of using social media platforms in strategic marketing.

To my left and right are individuals who understand connecting through social media and utilizing journalism through these platforms. Jodi (twitter, blog) and I [among many, many others] took nerd to a whole new level.

Winner
Whew. Winners. So, I decided to introduce old-school methods into selecting winners of the giveaway. I put each entry into a empty purse and drew a winner.

Opportunities you're not looking for, but opportunities that are so intriguing, you'd be remiss if you didn't allow yourself to explore a new path that will ultimately lead you on a path that more closely aligns with your {20-something-year-old-self's} career goals.

If you're not already picking up what I'm putting on the table. I'll lay it out there. I'm leaving my current position and moving on to a PR firm in Oklahoma City to work as a Travel Blogger and eCommunity manager.

Today, I'm dedicating my blog to a Mallorie Dye. Techinically we've never met (blog comments and FB messages don't count!), but she has made a direct impact in my life. Not to be a creeper, but I think about her and her current battle daily. She's a real-life ninja.**

This is Mallorie {and her husband}. First - how cute are they!?! Second, I asked Mallorie if It was okay to feature her on Rural Gone Urban {just thought I'd lay that one on the table...}

Mallorie is a twenty-four year old newlywed who was diagnosed with Burkitts Lymphoma April 26. Yes, of this year. Her blog is the story of her fight against cancer.

Here's the skinny: She's uh-mazing.

Her positive outlook about kickin' Cancer's rear-end is unbelievable. It's tough. Horrifying. Unimaginable. But, she takes it one day at a time and is thankful every day for every blessing He pours out. She also let's you {the creeper reading her blog} what it's really like. The good days, the bad days, the incredible nurses who are with her every step of the way....

Here is an excerpt from her blog:
Don’t sweat the small stuff – It’s ok that it’s Monday. Monday is going to be here next week too. I know your boss is a jerk, but in the grand scheme of things does it really matter? I’m sorry you’re feeling fat today, try eating healthier. I know someone just door-dinged your car, but it’s just a car and at least you weren’t in a wreck. Sometimes I just see Facebook statuses that make me want to say, “Really? That’s really what you’re upset about?” I’m not trying to make anyone’s story or “status” seem insignificant, I’m just saying that I don’t sweat the small stuff anymore. I’m fighting for my life, so the lady who cut in line at the grocery store or the jerk who cut me off on the road, they don’t bother me a bit. I’m just happy to be here.

To be fair - I think that's the harshest tone she has ever used on her blog. But, that paragraph struck me to my core.

She's right.

I'm sharing her blog with you because I truly believe her story is meant to be shared. Read it. Pass in on.

On my morning drive to work, K-Love takes over my radio. When Matthew West's song Strong Enough comes through the speakers I can't think of anyone else except Mallorie.

He wouldn't give us obstacles in our life if he didn't think we weren't strong enough and if He wasn't willing to carry us through the storm.